Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his candidacy for the 2024 Democratic presidential primary on April 5, 2023.^[1] Click here to read more about his presidential campaign.

Kennedy is author and lawyer who has worked in environmental and healthcare-related law. He is the son of former U.S. Attorney General and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-N.Y.), and the nephew of President John F. Kennedy (D).^[2]

Biography[edit]

Kennedy was born in Washington, D.C. in 1954. He is the son of former U.S. Attorney General and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-N.Y.) and Ethel Kennedy.^[2] Kennedy received a bachelor's degree in American history and literature from Harvard University, a law degree from the University of Virginia, and a master's degree in environmental law from Pace University.^[2]

He began his career in 1982 as an assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.^[3] Following an arrest for drug possession in 1983, Kennedy volunteered for the Natural Resources Defense Council.^[4] He also volunteered for Riverkeeper, a nonprofit seeking to preserve the Hudson River, and became the organization's chief attorney in 1985.^[2]

Kennedy went on to found the Pace University Environmental Litigation Clinic in 1987. He worked as the clinic's supervising attorney, co-director, and as a law professor at Pace University from 1986 to 2018. He founded the Waterkeeper Alliance, a group seeking to "strengthen and grow a global network of grassroots leaders protecting everyone’s right to clean water," in 1999, and served as its chairman and attorney until 2017.^[5]

In 2016, Kennedy founded Children's Health Defense, a nonprofit seeking to "end childhood health epidemics by working aggressively to eliminate harmful exposures, hold those responsible accountable and establish safeguards to prevent future harm." The organization says it participates in lawsuits to "assist with handling mandatory vaccination in schools, the workplace, and in travel -- as well as your right to informed consent."^[6]

Elections[edit]

2024[edit]

Kennedy announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election on April 5, 2023. Click the links below to read more about the 2024 presidential election:

Kennedy in the news[edit]

See also: Editorial approach to story selection for presidential election news events

This section features up to five recent news stories about Kennedy and his presidential campaign. For a complete timeline of Kennedy's campaign activity, click here.

July 25, 2023:
- Kennedy held a campaign event in New York City where he discussed Israel policy and his opposition to anti-semitism with Rabbi Shmuley Boteach.^[7]
- Kennedy participated in a Fox News town hall in New York City.^[8]
July 15, 2023: The July quarterly Federal Election Commission campaign finance reporting deadline passed. Kennedy reported $6 million in receipts, $2 million in disbursements, and $5 million in cash on hand as of June 30.^[9]
July 2, 2023: Kennedy appeared at a UNITE HERE Local 11 picket line in Los Angeles, California. The union represents "workers employed in hotels, restaurants, airports, sports arenas, and convention centers.^[10]^[11]
June 27, 2023: Moms for Liberty said Kennedy canceled his appearance at their summit taking place from June 29 to July 2. A representative for the organization told The Philadelphia Inquirer that Kennedy's campaign "told us his schedule changed and he can no longer speak to our summit."^[12]
June 24, 2023: Kennedy appeared at a campaign fundraiser in Brentwood, California.^[13]

External links[edit]

Footnotes[edit]

[kennedy24-1] CNN, "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. files paperwork to run for president as a Democrat," April 5, 2023

[bio-2] 2.0 ^2.1 ^2.2 ^2.3 Biography, "Robert F. Kennedy Jr.," accessed April 21, 2023

[3] The New York Times, "Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Hired by Morgenthau," March 28, 1982

[4] The New York Times, "NEW YORK DAY BY DAY; A Quiet Victory For Robert F. Kennedy Jr.," June 4, 1985

[5] Influence Watch, "Waterkeeper Alliance," accessed April 21, 2023

[6] Children's Health Defense, "Home," accessed April 21, 2023

[7] Twitter, "Kennedy on July 25, 2023," accessed July 26, 2023

[8] Kennedy's campaign website, "“Hannity” Town Hall with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.," accessed July 26, 2023

[9] Federal Election Commission, "July Quarterly," accessed July 16, 2023

[10] Twitter, "Kennedy on July 2, 2023," accessed July 3, 2023

[11] UNITE HERE Local 11, "Home," accessed July 3, 2023

[12] The Philadelphia Inquirer, "Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. will no longer speak at Moms for Liberty summit in Philly," June 27, 2023

[13] Twitter, "Kennedy on June 25, 2023," accessed June 26, 2023

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